Tuesday’s Biggest New DVD Releases
There are no huge new titles seeing the light of day, but some great catalogue titles are bowing on DVD.
Here are the best of the best DVD’s coming out tomorrow, Tuesday, June 4, 2002
The Manhattan Project- Is about a high school student who builds a nuclear weapon for his science fair project and creates hysteria among governent agents. The film was directed by long-time Woody Allen collaborator Marshall Brickman.
The Mothman Prophecies- This spooky drama about a Washington Post reporter who stumbles upon all sorts of weird occurences in a small town is a bunch of hooey. It stars Richard Gere and Laura Linney and was directed by Mark Pellington who also made the horrible “Arlington Road.”
Victor/Victoria- The classic, smashing musical comedy from the brilliant director Blake Edwards and his wife, the peerless Julie Andrews.
L.I.E.- The story of a child molester winning the confidence of a vulnerable boy is plenty of plot for one movie. This well-acted drama makes the mistake of also throwing in male prostitution, suicide, and an FBI sting operation. Brian Cox is memorable as the molester Big John, but anyone describing his relationship with the boy as unexpected or daringly complex is very confused. Big John is a classic predator: complimenting the boy, sharing his interests, and plying the kid with kindness until he gets his hooks in. Creepy.
Blue Velvet Special Edition- At the just-concluded Cannes Film Festival, jury head David Lynch presided over a bland, middle-of-the-road awards ceremony, giving the top prize to Roman Polanski’s dull World War II drama The Pianist and dutifully spreading the other goodies among the least objectionable films. (He gave nothing to the shockingly bold Irreversible, which has moments so unpleasant it raises the question of what a “good” movie must accomplish.) Lynch’s dark heart is better served by going back to his timeless classic Blue Velvet in this brand new special edition. Here, at least, Lynch showed no fear.
The Hustler/The Verdict- Maybe Paul Newman loved playing losers so much because he was (and is) so darned good looking. In The Hustler he plays a small-time pool player challenging Minnesota Fats. In The Verdict, he plays a washed-up, alcoholic lawyer with one more chance at redemption. But do we love those losers because they’re played by someone with a twinkle in his eye, however dimmed? Classics both.
McCabe & Mrs. Miller- A bleak, muddled, comic Western about a new businessman in town and a hooker with a heart of gold. Rarely has something so pedestrian sounding been so fresh, so bold and so hard to hear. Robert Altman’s greatest film, so what more do you need to know? Features songs by Leonard Cohen which are completely out of place, completely inappropriate and which work beautifully.
Enjoy!!
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